Incubator.



v PVATENTBD MAR. 27, 1906. J. E. CHAMBERS.

INGUBATOR. APPL'IOATION4 FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

42 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNiTnn srATHs PATENT OFFIOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application 'le'd'November 6,1905. serial No. 286.055.

Patented March 27, 1906.

T all whom 1f/may cori/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. CHAMBRS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelbyville, in the County of vShelby and State of Indiana, have invented new anduseful Im`' provementsin Incubators, of which the fol.-

owing is a specification. A

My invention relates to improvements in incubato'rs for the artificial hatching of eggs, whereby it is designed not only to insure the hatching of the entire brood, but also the production of healthy chicks, which can be successfully reared to maturity. Y It is universally admitted that nature method of incubation is the best, barring accidents and irregularities, which can be guarded against in artificial hatching. l

My object is to-re roduce natural conditions so far as p'ossib e'. A correct and uniform temperature is not enough. A hen will raise a healthy brood under widely-varying conditions of temperature, while an incubator with absolutely uniform temperature may fail to produce healthy chicks or to hatch out abrood at all. The proper aeration of the eggs with natural air is an element of success and also the warming of the eggs by positive contact with 'a warm surface which does not exclude proper ventilation. It is 4a mistake to warm or ventilate the eggs with air which has first been heated to such a degree as to bake out the natural moisture and vivifying qualities. The egg, even though unhatched, is a vital being andcan be stifled in embryo. My device therefore warms the eggs by actual contact. with a warm surface in imitation of natures method and prevents the'penetration of the confined and baked air to the eggs, while furnishing an independent source of natural `air among the' eggs for purposes of aeration and ventilation.

It is furthermore my-object to furnish a refuge for the newly-'hatchedchicks not too far removed from the temperature and place of incubation or from the conditions which nature furnishes with a warm soft yielding surface at the back of the chick, who naturally seeks for it as a mother, from which to derive warmthand vitality.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figurel 1 i's a front elevation of the incubator, front and rear being alike', with-the o en door' swung down on its horizontallyaced hinges and with an opening tornin t le wall above the door to show the internal arrangement. 2 is a central vertical lateral section showing the details of the main features. Fig. 3 is a bottom or inverted plan view, the Hoor and diaphragm being removed to show the upper chamber.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking from the left of Fig.'1 with a'portion of the u per wall torn away and the lower portion o -the wall remove The device consists, primarily, of a box 1 without bottom, preferably made of sheet metal to insure absolute safety against fire and low insurance rates and covered throughout with. a coating of refractory non-heatconducting substance, such as asbestos or mineral wool. Itis surrounded at its lower edge with an air-duct 2 o'f same material and 'covering entirely closed except for air-holes 5 5 in its bottom and for the passage 4, which -leads into a heating-"chamber 3, surrounding the heater'17, j acketed, like the box 1, with refractory non conductive material. The outer edge of air-duct 2 krests upon a narrow rectangular frame 6, asshown in Figs. 2 and 4, the lower edge also appearing in Fig. 1 through the o "en door. This frame 6 carries upon its ower surface a flexible loose member constituting the diaphragm 7, preferably made of woven fabric slightly pervious or porous to air, more or less, according to conditions. When the material is impervious', o'r nearly so, it is supplemented for ven-` ftilative purposes by holes or perforations bored in frame 6, as seen at 28,Fig. 4, to admit fresh outer air above the diaphragm. Said diaphragm forms, essentially, the bottom of box 1, which is otherwise a closed chamber except for the damper-outlet. Within said box 1, centrally located near the diaphragm,

is some form of thermostat for automatically maintaining a uniform and regulated temperature in the box, which may'be any of the numerous varieties in common use. T he one I have shown for purposesl of illustration is of the metal-bar variety, consisting of bars 23', of metals of dissimilar heat-expansive qualities, fastened together at the ends and variable in the middle by expansion and contraction of the bars under variations of temperature, suspended in thebox by tube 24 and connected by rod 25 with the lever-arm 26, which -carries at one extremity the damper 2,7 and is o'ounterbalanced at the other end 35. Saiddamper 27 by its sensitive' risings and falls, due toslig'ht variations of tem- I O'O IIO perature in the box, regulates the heat in heating-chamber 3, heated, preferably, by a lamp placed below heater 17 on bracket 32, which heats the said heater, and thus affords heat to the jacketed chamber 3, communicating with the interior of the box by pipe 13, preferably of thin sheet metal, which is carried across beyond the middle of the box to secure the most even distribution of heat within the same, the part nearest the heater being the warmest. A practically-.closed circulation is thus secured, except for the damper-outlet, the hot air rising in the jacketed chamber 3 passing mostly through tube 18, out at mouth 19, thence downward along the surface of diaphragm 7, outr through holes 5 in duct 2, and thence through passage 4 into chamber 3 again. Additional air to supply that which may disappear through the damper-outlet enters through the porosities of the diaphragm or through perforations 28-in frame 6, or both. The products of combustion from the lamp which heats the heater 17 pass through pipe 20 and its branches 21, which contribute to the uniform heating of the box interior and economize heat, and thence pass upward and outward through the vertical branches 22. The darts indicate the course o f circulation of air in the box 1. The

warm air passes over diaphragm 7, as beforei said, out at its edges through holes 5, warming its whole surface evenly to correspond to the temperature of the breast of the hen, and passing up into duct 2, passage 4, and heating-chamber 3 to be used over and over again. The heat is thus economized, as there is no object in using constantly fresh air for this purpose, since the proper ventilation of the eggs is otherwise accomplished. The relatively small volume of air which escapes at the damper is ordinarily supplied by percolation through the diaphragm 7, and this causes a slight upward draft through said diaphragm, which facilitates aeration of the eggs by drawing infresh supplies of natural air in chamber 37, The adjustment of the damper-lever must be such as to leave the damper always slightly open at the temperature required for incubation in order to insure the proper regulation. n

By the means above described the eggs are warmed to the correct temperature by contact with an evenly-heated surface, imitating nature, which surface is in the proper position on top of the egg, where the germ lies, while the egg is at the same time shielded from contact with air which has been dried or baked by a revious high temperature, the proper venti ation and aeration of the eggs being provided for by other means.

Beyond the non-conductive coverin of the box 1 is the outer case 13, preferably o wood, yto form an ornamental finish, but lined throughout with a nonconductive lining, preferably a layer of cotton overlaid with strawboard; but any equivalent non-cond uctive lining will answer. A dead-air space 16 is thus provided between the asbestos covering of the inner box and the lining of the outer box, which, in conjunction with those two, constitutes a complete protection against heat 4radiation from the box 1.

Below the warm-air circulation-chamber, of Whichdiaphragm 7 forms the bottom, is a seoond chamber 37, practically open below, but closed at the sides and also at front and rear by horizontally-hinged falling doors 36, which close upward. In this chamber just below the diaphragm 7 are the egg supports 8, which are preferably removable trays carried upon a f loor 10 in guides 9, which permit them to slide in and out. rIhey have foraminous bottoms pervious to air from beneath, preferably of wire-cloth. The floor 10 is cut out beneath the trays and fitted at the openings also with wire-cloth or equivalent pervious or foraminous screens. In practice a porous cloth lining 38 is placed on the foraminous trays beneath the eggs, which transmits sufficient pure air at all times to properly aerate the eggs. It may be very thin in summer and proportionally thicker or of more layers in colder weather. The warmth of the eggs and the heated diaphragm above them sufficiently modifies this air without d eteriorating it, and the surplus which does not penetrate the diaphragm constantly escapes through porous or foraminous panels 29 29 in the ends of the case and similar foraminous panels 30 in door 36. Said door has also glass panels 31 for inspection and observation. The floor 10 is considerably larger in extent than the area occupied by the trays, a margin 39 being left all around the trays, as indicated in Fig. 2. This might seem extravagant of space; but its purpose is to provide room for the chicks to run out on as they hatch, thus doing away with the necessity for a separate nursery, which is apt to be deficient in the proper temperature and improperly ventilated. Said margin is a refuge near at hand, close to the warm diaphragm, and requiring no transfer of chicks to a new locality. In order to bring eggs of widelyvarying sizes to suitable contact with the diaphragm 7, floor 10 is made adjustable as to height. As illustrated, it is supported on movable strips 11, one at each end, which by means of the vertical slots in the strips and bolts 12 in the casing or any other suitable means of adjustment, can be shifted as to height to meet the conditions.

32 is a bracket-shelf for the lamp which supplies the warmth to the heater 17.

33 33 are the legs of the device, preferably removable from their sockets for transportation.

34 34 are corner-braces for the frame or casing 13. y

The box or upper chamber of the device if lOO IIC

disjointed at about the level of the iioor 10 (as at a, Fig. 4) makes a capital brooder for the newly-hatched brood, placed upon a warm floor, and adjusted just high enough for the chicks to run under. They can stand up and press their backs against the warm diaphragm until they are warm enough, and when they want to sit down and sleep the dia hragm settles gently down upon them an keeps them warm, hen style. Theessentials of the said diaphragm are that. it shall afford a warm soft yielding surface to the back of the chick, imitating the breast of lthe hen as closely as possible, so that in some cases a soft padded surface will answer instead of the flexible fabric above described, though the latter is the one that I have found eiiioient in practical experience.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In 'an incubator, a support for eggs, a yielding foraminous fabric above said support at a suitable distance to contact with the eggs borne thereon, means above said fabric for heating it, and means for maintaining it 'at a uniform regulated temperature, whereby the eggs may be incubated by positive contact with a superposed warm eXible surface, substantially as specified.

2. In an incubator, a foraminous support for eggs, a yielding diaphragm abovesaid support, adapted to come in contact with the eggs borne thereon, an air-chamber above said diaphragm, of which the latter forms the bottom, means for heating the air in said chamber, and means for maintaining said air at a uniform regulated temperature; substantially as specified.v j,

3. In an incubator, an upper air-chamber, a yielding diaphragm forming the bottom of said chamber, means for heating the air in said chamber, means for maintaining said air at a uniform regulated temperature, a lower chamber beneath said diaphragm, a floor in said lower chamber carrying removable eggtrays, at a height suitable to hold the eggs in contact with said diaphragm, and means to admit fresh air among the eggs on said trays,

said air being separated from the air in the upper chamber by said diaphragm, substantially as specified.

4. In an incubator, an upper air-chamber, a yielding diaphragm forming the bottom of said chamber, means for heating, the air in said chamber, means for maintaining said air at a uniform regulated. temperature, a lower chamber beneath said diaphragm, and a Hoor in said lower chamber carrying removable foraminous egg-trays, said floor being foraminous, and provided with means for adjusting the height thereof relatively to said diaphragm, substantially as specified.

5. In an incubator, an upper air-chamber, a yielding diaphragm forming the bottom of said chamber, means for heating the air in said chamber, means for maintaining said air at a uniform regulated temperature, a lower chamber beneath said diaphragm, and a floor in said lower chamber, carrying removable foraminous trays in its central area, leaving a marginal space adjacent to said trays, as a runway for newly-hatched chicks, substantially as specified.

6. In an incubator, an upper air-chamber, closed on its top and sides with refractory non-heat-conductive covering, an outer casing for said chamber, with an intervening dead-air space, an air-duct all around the bottom` of said chamber, with perforations therein, a diaphragm of yielding material, forming the bottom of said chamber and below the air-duct, means for maintaining the air above the diaphragm at a uniform regulated temperature, means beneath said diaphragm for sustaining eggs in contact with the warmed surface thereof, and means for admitting air at .atmospheric temperature among said eggs, separated from the heated air of the u per chamber by said diaphragm, substantialfjr as specified.

7. In an incubator, an air-chamber, a yielding diaphragm forming the bottom of said chamber, means for maintaining the air in said chamber at a uniform regulated temperature, an air-duct all around the bottom of said chamber, above said diaphragm, perforations in said air-duct, said air-duct communicating with the upper part of the chamber, and means for heating the air beyond the air-duct, whereby a circulation of warmed air is set upv and maintained through said chamber and air-duct, passing over the diaphragm, substantially as specified.

8. In an incubator, an upper chamber, a

lower chamber, a yielding diaphragm be-4 tween said chambers, forming the floor of said upper chamber, ameans forwarming said dia- IOO phragm, above the same, a means for maintaining said diaphragm ata uniform and regulated temperature, an egg-support in said lower chamber, and means for admitting unwarmed air beneath said diaphragm, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. CHAMBERS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. HACK, GEO. H. MErKs. 

